Educational training for development

We have come so far after independence as a nation and yet our educational systems are not anything desirable.

Whilst, we are in the 21st century, the educational institutions that are suppose to be up-to-the-minute and to provide what is needed in this century; they are still 'living' in the nineteen-century.

Things that are mostly taught at these institutions are things that were designed and developed in the nineteenth or twenth-century, tailored for those centuries.

If we want to be able to move greatly as a nation then, the educational systems must change and the educational institutions should totally change from living in the past and get abreast with current trends needed in the 21st century so that the right training could be given out to their products who would in turn use their acquired skills to help develop mother Ghana.

Much as some educational institutions, especially the private ones are doing pretty well, they are still miles away from providing the requisite training needed for self-empowerment and for employers.
The truth is that employers need employees who can give them the value for their money but not employees who possess papers as certificates but cannot perform equitably.

Educational institutions especially universities, polytechnics etc should not be too theoretical without giving regard to the practical training, which is rather needed more.

They should move away from the type of training that they provide, which does not help improve national and personal development. A better training that is really required by employers and also for the benefits of the products' personal development.

Why can't most university or polytechnic graduates be trained like medical students, nurses, teachers etc? I mean they should be taught Practicals!

Many unusual, unexpected things happen at various offices to people who claim to have gone through a number of years for training at higher institutions of learning.

Absolutely, there should be proper, indepth training in information systems and information technology right from senior secondary school level upwards.

Is it totally unacceptable in the 21st century for a newly employed graduate in Accountancy, for instance, not able to use Microsoft excel or spread sheet to provide some useful basic data for his or her employer just because he or she was not taught thoroughly on these important soft wares at the tertiary level.

Some programmes offered at the tertiary institutions should have tailored IT soft wares for the students so that when they graduate, they would be in a better position to work for themselves or for their prospective employers without much support.

Many of the normal lecturers would not have these expertises because, they might lecturing only without necessary working in the offices; therefore, it would be proper to contract experts, resource persons for specific periods of time to give the students the needed training to prepare them for real life situations instead of learning only theories which are not supported with the practical training needed at the offices.

Take an example of a driving school, one is taught very well both the theory of the importance of road signs and one is practically taken to the field, i.e. on the road to learn how to drive before a genuine license is issued to one.
Some employers have begun vigorously doing both theoretical and practical interviews before they pick the right applicants as employees.

This is a very good step in the direction of compelling the educational institutions to give their products the necessary training needed in the 21st century for self-empowerment and for working for others if one so desires.

There are other important subjects that need to be taught at the tertiary institutions. These include Emotional Intelligence, Financial Literacy, Stress Management, Motivation, Entrepreneurship, Accountancy; (including Auditing & Taxation), Purchasing and Supply, Health Literacy, Marketing, Media Communication, and most importantly Information Systems.

These, if learnt properly would provide goals congruence for both employers and employees.

Students should be taught subjects that would provide them with very good grounding to become entrepreneurs, investors, self-employed, or employees.

All students should be trained very well in at least in entrepreneurship, intensive training. No child's play here!
As my former ACCA lecturer said, 'we are being taught right away from class one on how to apply for a job, but not how to create a job.

The nation needs to move to a pedestal of paradigm shift of teaching students how to create jobs right away from the junior secondary schools. Our educational systems have been designed in such a way that students are mostly ill-equipped, independently, and they have been conditioned in a particular pattern so that whoever tries to shift them from these abnormal conditions are scorned or sometimes labeled as mad.

Interestingly, the 'mad' people among us whether living or dead have been some of the greatest people the world has ever known. They are 'immune to fear and failure.' They break barriers.
There is so much in abundance in this country, that there is every opportunity available right here.

Absolutely, nothing is impossible in this world. It is only our own flimsy excuses, fear, procrastination, ignorance and unnecessary alibis that prevent us from harnessing the great potentials in us.

Admittedly, the teachers at these schools teach the students what they were taught based on the laid down syllabuses. Therefore, if we want better things then the right things must be put in place and get all the teachers the necessary training to equip them to be able impart the needed knowledge unto the students.

The way we have been conditioned right down the years is very bad and we need what in business information management, they call Business Processes Re-engineering. (BPR). A' revolutionary fundamental rethinking and rational redesign of the business processes to achieve dramatic improvement in cost, quality, service and speed.' This is what is needed in this country today; because, the way we are being brought up educationally needs a second look.
What are we talking about, the cost? If we weigh the benefits against the costs then, we can stop crying wolf and get the right structures done now with less costs or leave them for our great-grandchildren to come with visions to fix them. We must then admit that we had no vision and failed as earlier occupants of this country, full stop!
How can you get returns from an investment, if you or someone never financed that investment? There is nothing for something in this world.
If one buys a coconut seedling from the roadside to plant at home, I believe one would water it daily and guide it well till it is fully matured. When the coconut tree matures, it begins to produce fruits without needing one's support whatsoever.

Likewise, schoolchildren should be nurtured to become freely independent forever.

One of my greatest writers; Napoleon Hill said: 'Knowledge is potential power. It becomes power only when, and if it is organized into definite plans of action and directed to a definite end.'

Credit: Godwin-Xavier Ayeebo [Email: [email protected]]
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